It’s open thread time again, when Bark readers chat in real-time about whatever is on their minds with each other and Bark writers and editors. There’s no agenda.

This week we’re pleased to have long-time contributing editor Julia Kamysz Lane stopping by off and on during the day. Julia lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Brian, four rescue dogs—Shelby, Darby, Jolie and Ginger Peach—and two rescue cats, Cricket and Bruiser Bear. Her dogs have collectively earned more than 70 performance titles and participate in agility, rally, scent detection, trick training and more. Active in rescue and a professional trainer, Julia co-founded New Orleans German Shepherd Rescue in the early 2000s. She has written about everything from dock diving and agility (even an agility pig!) to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and breed prejudice—subjects she knows firsthand—and plenty in between. So there’s plenty she can chime in about.

In time for summer roadtrip season, we week we’ll be selecting one participant at random to receive a Dog Is My Co-Pilot bumpersticker, so be sure to include your email when you register to comment, so we can contact you if you win.

Newcomers, the open thread is a little like the dog park: Get out there and run, sniff around and play nice. Obscene, abusive, offensive or commercial comments will be taken down. We close the thread at 4 p.m. PST.